1 T he Philistines brought the ark of God from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

Now the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

2 T hey took the ark of God into the house of Dagon and set it beside Dagon.

Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon.

3 W hen they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon had fallen upon his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set him in his place again.

When the Ashdodites arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set him in his place again.

4 B ut when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had again fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord, and head and both the palms of his hands were lying cut off on the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left him.

But when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. And the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left to him.

5 T his is the reason neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

6 B ut the hand of the Lord was heavy upon the people of Ashdod, and He caused very deadly destruction and He smote the people with tumors or boils, both Ashdod and its territory.

Now the hand of the Lord was heavy on the Ashdodites, and He ravaged them and smote them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territories.

7 W hen the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god.

When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god.”

8 S o they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? They answered, Let be carried around to Gath. So they carried the ark of the God of Israel there.

So they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” And they said, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” And they brought the ark of the God of Israel around.

9 B ut after they had carried it to Gath, the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing an exceedingly great panic, for He afflicted the people of the city, both small and great, and tumors or boils broke out on them.

After they had brought it around, the hand of the Lord was against the city with very great confusion; and He smote the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.

10 S o they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And as came, the people of Ekron cried out, They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us to slay us and our people!

So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And as the ark of God came to Ekron the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel around to us, to kill us and our people.”

11 S o they sent and assembled all the lords of the Philistines and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel; let it return to its own place, that it may not slay us and our people. For there was a deadly panic throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.

They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, so that it will not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly confusion throughout the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.

12 T he men who had not died were stricken with very painful tumors or boils, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

And the men who did not die were smitten with tumors and the cry of the city went up to heaven.